Ironing machine



Oct. 24, 1933. c. E. HAMILTON. SR 1,931,533

IRONING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1931.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1933 Nrrso STATES PATENT oFsi-cs Application-June .20, 1931. Serial No. 545,637

6 Claims. (01. 68- 9 The invention relates to ironing tables,'bucks, rolls, and the like of pressing and other ironing machines, and more particularly to the con struction of spring pads utilized in connection The present invention has for" an object an' improved mounting of the helical springs, em-

.10- ployed inthese pads, upona plate or support member and whereby said springs are readily attachable to and detachable from a fastening element provided as an integral part-of the plate or support, and permitting thereby defective springs to be readily removed and new ones substituted'without dismantling the pad from the ironing machine and requiring, also, no particular skill nor special apparatus in the installation of the individual springs.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel cap member for use with the springs composing the pad. I

A still-further object of the invention resides in the provision of a sealing buck member for use with thef'spring pad and wherein the degree of compression to which the springs of the pad may besubjected is limited, the arrangement being such, furthermore, as to enhance the withdrawal of moisture from the Work and p Another object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen the construction of these spring pads.

In a prior U. S. Patent '#-1,& i5,393, granted to me, there is disclosed apad involving springs which are removably mounted in respective cups, rigidlysecured to a base plate. Although these springs'are removably retained in said cups, 'there is still involved the expense and difi'lculty of providing and-securing the cups for retaining the same. I 1

Moreover, this expedient has not proved satisfactory in practice for the reason that it is difiicult to maintain a spring within its cup in perpendicular relationship to the supporting plate or the like; causing frequentinterlocking of-two or more adjacent springs when pressure is placed on the pad. Furthermore, it is difficult to secure an accurate and uniform diameter of the many individual spring convolutions' so that in many instances an uncertain fit was had of a spring in its cup, resulting in the nosessity of discarding a great number; of these springsin'the assembly of a padwith consequent serious loss. o In accordance with the present invention, a lowermost convolution of the spring is readily applicable to and securely retainedon a tubular fastener element which is integral with the base 0. plate itself, being turned .upwardly therefrom and then inwardly to form a tubular support onto which a spring element 'may be snapped. This tubular elementsei'ves also to assist in the Withdrawal of moisture from the pad'whenmeans therefor are provided; and, similarly, a novel type of cap element is provided'for the top of a spring, the same consisting of a tubu lar member with flanged top overlapping the uppermost convolution, said tubular member having also a peripheral indentation or outer recess into which an upper convolution is designed to snapto hold a said cap to its spring.

The nature of the invention, however wi1l best be understood when described iii-connection with the accompanying drawing in which my invention is illustrated as embodied; by way of Fig. 2 is," a fragmentary vertical section through thebuck, pad and platen-and takenon I the line 2 2, Fig. 1 ofthe drawing.

Fig: v3 is a fragmentary planview, on larged scale, illustrating thespring pad. I Fig. 4-. is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a numberlof iastenerelements for attaching the springs of the pad to their supporting plateone spring being shown in vertical section in position and provided also with a cap; and Fig. 5 is aview in elevation with the parts shown in detached relationship. v I r Referring to the drawing, ill designates a buck or suitable support member for the spring pad, which is shaped to conform to the particular shape of the buck shown, although it is tof 'be understood that the padmay be variously shaped in, accordance with desired supporting surface upon which it utilized. In pressing machines suohas are utilized for the ironing of cults oi shirtsand embodying the angular shaped support or buck, as indicated in Fig. '1 of th' raWingQit is particularly difficult to suitably retain the springs of the pad in proper position and toprevent their interlocking. As shown, the individual springs 11 are of the helical type and an onare designed to be retained upon a suitable supand the cooperating pad in the usual manner in the pressing of cuffs therebetween.

.The individual springs 11 with holding plate 12 are, furthermore, arranged to be contained within a casing formed by the front and rear walls 25 and 26, respectively, extending upward' ly from the buck and by side walls 27 and 28,

the tops of the springs, however, protruding normally somewhat beyond the upper edges of these walls. Thus when the buck 10 is raised in the usual manner, the upper edges of the casing walls serve as stops for the upward movement of the buck and serve to limit the degree of coin pression of the spring elements of .the pad thereby preventing crushing and the application of undue force thereon. Any abnormal thickness as would be produced by a button and the like would, nevertheless, be accommodated, if located within the casing space, by further compression of the springs engaged. In view of thicker. or bunched portion of the inner part of the cuifit is desirable, also, to make the height of. the front wall 25 slightly less than that of the rear wall 26 in order to accommodate the dilferent thicknesses. Furthermore, when the platen contacts throughthe goodswith the upper edges of the said casing walls, it substantially seals the casingthereat and renders more effective the withdrawal of moisture from the pad and goods being ironed.

As the wear on the springs and pressing devices of the aforesaid type is, particularly heavy, necessitating frequent replacement and as the springs in view of the inclined location thereof must be securely retained and properly posi tioned on their supporting plate, provision is made to mount the same in a novel manner thereon and at the same time afford means for enhancing the withdrawal of the moisture from the goods.

Reference being had particularly to Figs. 3-5 of the drawing, the plate 12 is shown as having been pierced to provide an axial opening 36' and is formed to afford an upturned wall 31 with .outer recess or peripheral groove 32 and an, in-

turned end 33. Over this upwardly extending stud or fastener element thus provided, the lower end of a spring is slipped to cause a lowermost convolution, as the convolution 34, to snap into the recess 32 and thus securely retain the spring to the plate.

A similar metal element may be provided as a cap for. the top of the spring, if desired. As indicated in Fig. l, this cap is constituted by a cylindrical tubular portion 35 having the outer recess or groove 36 at its upper end and the flange 37. An inturned portion 38 extends upwardly and is pierced as at 39 so that when the top of the pad is in contact with the goods withdrawal of moisture will not be impeded in passing through the individual springs. Openings 39 may, also, be provided in the annular gutter thus formed to drain the same of any water of condensation.

A suitable 'cover cloth 40 is to be provided in the usual manner over'the tops of the springs or, rather, the flanges 37 of the caps.

By the novel fastener arrangement herein before described, a spring as a whole may not only be readily attached to and suitably positioned on its supporting plate, but is quickly and conveniently 'withdrawable therefrom for replacement, when required. Moreover, by constituting the said fastener elements, and the caps as well, as tubular members, the withdrawal of moisture from the-goods and pad is facilitated and better ironing results.

I claim:

1. In an ironing pad of the character set forth: a base plate having tubular integral fastener elements turned upwardly therefrom and flaring outwardly to removably receive and snap thereon lower terminal convolutions of helical springs adjacently disposed over the surface of said plate, and a tubular downwardly flaring cap element affording an outer recess into which the 'upper terminal convolutions of a spring are adapted to snap.

2. In an ironing pad of the character vset forth: a base plate having integral fastener eleport the springs on, the casing bottom to afford an ironing pad, and a platen movably mounted with reference to the said'casing to compress the springs of said pad, the degree of compres-; sion being limited by contact between the platen and the upper edges of the walls of the casing, said platen thereby also sealing the casing'ex 'cept for the openings through the fastener elements.

4. An ironin buck, comprising acasing closed at the sides and ends and the front side being lower than the rear side, a plurality of helical adjacent springs supported, on the casing bottom to afford an ironing pad, and a platen movably mounted with reference to the said casing to compress the springsof said pad, the degree of compression being limited by contact between the platen and the upper edges of the walls of the casing, and the platen thereby also sealing the said casing. v

5. -An ironing pad of the character set forth, comprising a base plate carrying tubular fastener elements, turned upwardly therefrom to provide an enlarged head portion with neck portionintermediate the head and plate, and removable helical springs adjacently disposed over the surface of the plate and having a lower terminal convolution fitting over the head portion of the fastener element for snap engagement with the said neck portion'thereof. I

6. An ironing pad of the character set forth, comprising a base plate carrying tubular fas. tener elements, turned upwardly therefrom: to

provide an outwardly flaring or head portion,

the head portion of the fastener element for snap engagement with the said neck portion thereof.

CHARLES EDWIN HAMILTON, S R.'-' 

